EU Digital Legislation and AI Governance Specialist

OVERVIEW

Parent Sector: Social and Human Sciences Sector (SHS)

Duty Station: Paris

Job Family: Social and Human Sciences

Type of contract: ((Contract Type))

Duration of contract: From 7 to 11 months

Recruitment open to: External candidates

Application Deadline (Midnight Paris Time): 22-08-2024

UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism

OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

In November 2021, 193 Member States of UNESCO adopted the Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (the Recommendation). This global standard aims to leverage the positive impacts of AI while addressing its inherent risks. Countries around the world are now in the process of implementing the Recommendation, with UNESCO supporting them through various capacity-building efforts, funded through partnerships with multiple donors, including the Government of Japan, the European Commission, and the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation.

The Digital Flanders Agency has launched an Artificial Intelligence Expertise Center (AI EC) tasked with enhancing and guiding the adoption of AI across Flemish public administrations. The capacity and capability of the AI EC need to be strengthened to empower it to fulfil its coordination role among Flemish public administrations in the facilitation and implementation of AI projects. The project aims to foster Flemish public administrations' AI-readiness and increase the adoption of AI across the Flemish public administrations in a safe, robust, trustworthy, and ethical manner.

The Consultant will work under the overall authority of the Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences Sector (ADG/SHS) and under the direct supervision of the Head of Ethics of AI Unit at UNESCO Headquarters. As a member of the UNESCO Ethics of AI Team, the Consultant will contribute to the development of various knowledge products and the delivery of tasks to advance the implementation of the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI.

SCOPE OF WORK

1. Produce an overview of digital legislation and frameworks related to AI.
2. Provide inputs into the elaboration of the Flemish AI Strategy.
3. Produce recommendations for an optimal AI governance structure.
4. Assess the needs for an EU digital legislation, non-binding guidelines and interpretative documents dashboard.
5. Establish a dashboard for EU legislation.
6. Testing and refinement of the dashboard.
7. Assess the ratio of AI systems belonging to the high-risk/low-risk category of the AI Act.
8. Produce a guidance note on the EU AI Act implications and compliance requirements.
9. Assess current needs and best practices on AI self-assessment tools.
10. Produce a report providing guidance on AI self-assessment tools.
11. Engage substantively as part of the Ethics of AI team in the regular efforts to link its work with high-level processes related to ethics and governance of AI.
12. Contribute to other ongoing work of the AI Ethics Team.

COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial)

• Accountability (C)
• Communication (C)
• Innovation (C)
• Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement (C)
• Planning and organizing (C)
• Results focus (C)
• Teamwork (C)
• Professionalism (C)

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education
• Advanced university degree (Master's or equivalent) in the governance of artificial intelligence, ethical and social implications of artificial intelligence or digital technologies, law and technology, computer science, data science, computational social science, or other related fields.

Work Experience
• A minimum of five years of professional experience on the ethical, legal, social and governance issues of artificial intelligence and related digital technologies at the national and/or international level. A PhD can count as work experience.
• Proven experience involving EU digital legislation is mandatory.

Skills and competencies
• Very good understanding of artificial intelligence's ethical, legal, social and governance issues and related digital technologies.
• Excellent knowledge of EU digital legislation, comprising the recently published AI Act.
• Excellent knowledge about the dynamics of governance of AI.
• Proven ability to draft clearly and concisely and to produce high-quality policy-oriented analysis and synthesis documents.
• Proven ability to work on multiple interrelated outputs.

Languages
• Excellent knowledge (spoken and written) of English.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

Education
• Advanced university degree (PhD) in the governance of artificial intelligence, ethical and social implications of artificial intelligence or digital technologies, law and technology, computer science, data science, computational social science, or other related fields.

Work Experience
• Experience conducting research and analysis and/or implementing programmes/projects on the ethical, legal, social and governance issues of artificial intelligence and related digital technologies is strongly desirable.

Languages
• Knowledge of another language, especially Dutch.

APPLICATION

Interested candidates should click on "Apply Now", then download and complete the Employment History form (Word file). At the end of the Word file, insert extra pages with the following required information:

• A one-page statement laying out how their qualifications and experience make them suitable for the assignment, and explaining how they would approach the work;
• The salary expectations for the assignment, which should be quoted in US dollars on a monthly basis for a 11-month period (full-time working).

Upon completing the Word file with all the requested information above, upload the file at the "My Employment History Form / My Documents" section of the online application form. Only applications with the above requested information will be considered.

SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS

Please note that all candidates must complete an on-line application and provide complete and accurate information. The evaluation of candidates is based on the criteria in the vacancy notice, and may include tests and/or assessments, as well as a competency-based interview.

UNESCO uses communication technologies such as video or teleconference, e-mail correspondence, etc. for the assessment and evaluation of candidates. Please note that only selected candidates will be further contacted and candidates in the final selection step will be subject to reference checks based on the information provided.

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